Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW) has been selected by the U.S. Department of Commerce to participate in the U.S. Commercial Service’s International Buyer Program (IBP) for 2012.

The IBP first identifies and recognizes prominent trade exhibitions like ASRW they determine are good venues for developing new business relationships. In turn, the U.S. Commercial Service staff will work diligently in the coming year to connect ASRW 2012 exhibitors with international buyers – providing leads, trade counseling and market research. The IBP will also recruit foreign buyers, sales representatives and business partners to ASRW 2012, giving exhibitors excellent opportunities to expand business globally. U.S. firms exhibiting at ASRW 2012 and interested in exporting their products/services overseas will receive practical, hands-on assistance such as export counseling and market analysis.

ASRW 2012 will feature an International Business Center on-site where Commerce Department staff will facilitate meetings between attendees and exhibitors.

“Receiving this prestigious designation from the U.S. Department of Commerce reaffirms ASRW’s international influence within the industry,” said Ron Pyle, Automotive Service Association (ASA) president and chief staff executive. “This program will bring tremendous momentum to next year’s show, as well as provide unprecedented opportunities for some of our future exhibitors.”

The International Buyer Program is a unique program through the U.S. Department of Commerce, the International Trade Administration and the U.S. Commercial Service (the trade promotion arm of the International Trade Administration) that helps international buyers find U.S. suppliers. Located across the United States and in U.S. Embassies and Consulates in nearly 80 countries, a global network of trade professionals help attendees locate U.S. products, services or business partners; and meet suppliers and partners face-to-face at the program trade shows.